It wasn't us, says Home Ministry on Johor royal family 'monitoring'

KUALA LUMPUR: The government has never issued any directives to monitor or spy on Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar and Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, as alleged.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman asked Tunku Ismail to provide information on the matter for investigation, in the event that it was done by a third party without the ministry’s knowledge.

Mohd Azis said he does not know of the source who informed Tunku Ismail of the matter.

“I don’t know where TMJ (Tunku Ismail) obtained the information, but as the deputy (home) minister, I can confirm that there were no such instructions or directives.

“If he (Tunku Ismail) has information or evidence of such acts against the Johor royal family, he can channel it to the authorities for investigation,” he told NSTP.

Azis assured Tunku Ismail that the ministry would thoroughly investigate the claims and urged the administrator of the social media pages to provide the evidence.

“We are concerned that if this true, then was done without government knowledge,” he said.

On Saturday, Tunku Ismail, via his Facebook page, alleged that he was told by several government officials that social media sites belonging to him and the sultan were being “monitored” by the government.

The government, he said, was using an Israeli-made monitoring device, which he said was used to “spy on people and gather intel.” The device, he added, was also used by the previous government before the 14th general election as part of cyber warfare.

He said he was also approached by an individual who had wanted to sell him the device.

Tunku Ismail said he was told by the government officials that the device is being used by agencies such as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Special Branch, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), as well as the Prime Minister’s Office.

Tunku Ismail also claimed that cybertroopers had been planted on social media pages belonging to him and the sultan, as well as that of the Johor Darul Ta'zim football club. These cybertroopers, he said, were on standby “in case there is something that does not go down well with certain higher ups.”

This was the second time Tunku Ismail had claimed that the royal family was being monitored by the government. In May 2016, he had claimed that his phone was being tapped and that his movements were being monitored by the Special Branch.

(File pic) Deputy Home Minister Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman asked Tunku Ismail to provide information on the matter for investigation, in the event that it was done by a third party without the ministry’s knowledge. (NSTP/EDMUND SAMUNTING)